Staying Ahead Of The Game

Over the years I’ve noticed a consistent problem that plagues young and inexperienced players, and that is the inability to correctly interpret what the opponent is going to do, also known as reading the play. This is one of the biggest challenges for athletes in team competition. Your ability (or inability) to divine what your opponent is attempting, and making the appropriate adjustments, will be the difference between you starting the game or watching from the bench, and ultimately your team’s ability to win.

In volleyball, anticipating where the opposition’s hitter is about to slam the ball will help you move into position earlier, play the ball better, and aide in a smooth transition to offense. Good play reading skills makes you a better defensive player and more valuable to your team.

Now that I’ve got you thinking about the other team, I’m going to grab your cyber head and turn it around to look at your own court. That’s right, this is not only about reading the opponent’s plays, you also need to know what to look for on your own team. You not only need to know precisely where you should be to defend your area on the court, you need to know if someone on your team is out of position and warn them, or adjust to cover for them.

Let’s talk about some specific tactics for back row defense players that may help you read an opposing hitter ’s body language, which will in turn help you anticipate his/her decisions.

I want to begin by offering this caveat; don’t over-analyze the play! The process of reading a hitter from the back row is very similar to playing the front row. Your first job is to assess the direction and speed of the set and move into position. At that point you must analyze the hitter’s approach and any subtle clues that may give away his/her intended target. The hitter that sweeps wide on the approach will usually aim cross-court, but if the approach is perpendicular, or straight at the net, watch for the shot down the line .

Your own blockers present the next big challenge for the back row. A big part of your preparation is seeing, and hopefully knowing, where your blockers are going to be and covering the high percentage spots outside of their block.

In my article Volleyball 1,2,3 I talk about the necessity of preparation. When playing in the back row it is vitally important to be ‘prepared’ which will give you time to read the hitter. Besides observing where the set is going and the direction the hitter is facing when he/she leaves the floor, you also need to be ready to play the ball off the block.

If you are playing the number 6 position, or middle-back, you need to stay deep so you can recover any ball that is hit off the block and sails deep. You also might want to take an extra step opposite the set so you can play the hard angle cross court shot.

If you are playing the number 1 or 5 position, left or right-back, make sure you always start just behind the 3 meter (10 ft.) line so you can cover the quick middle hit, called the ‘#1′, or the tip from the front row setter.

Do not release from this position until the ball is set outside or to the opposite position. Now I know what you’re thinking, “If the set doesn’t go to the middle hitter I’ll be out of position if I start at the 3m line.” Don’t worry, if you’re on your toes you’ll have time to transition deeper into your court if the set goes up and out.

If the set is away from your side, quickly release into the court with a big step/leap back and one toward the center of the court. As Hayley Merrett says in his tutorial, you must stay ‘in the sunshine’ of the ball when playing defense. He says, “Think about the ball as being a sun, and the block is shielding the sun’s light. On defense, it is important to change your position so that you are never behind the block, because you want to be ready to play the ball
where there is no one else to stop it. When taking your step into the court, make sure you are moving into an area that is not being covered by the block, or in the ’sunshine’.” Hayley offers an interesting metaphor and a good visual to help get you in position.

If the setter puts the ball to your side, take three or four quick steps backwards sticking close to the side line. It is imperative that you are completely stopped and ready to move when the ball is hit. If not, your reaction time will be diminished, and so will your pass. Also, if the ball is hit off the block you may need to spring from your position and run after it, or the ball may be tipped, and you will have go to the floor after it. If you are still moving when the ball is hit, your ability to react properly will be greatly affected.

After the approach and vault, if hitter begins to slow his/her arm swing at all you’ll know a tip is coming , or if the player is attacking a poor set that is tight to the net. If you see a tip coming, react first, call it out second.

When you are anticipating the ball, one necessary preparation is to turn your feet in slightly giving you the ability to explode forward with your first big step toward the ball. Otherwise, get low and be ready to take that hard
shot down the line.

If you watch the direction of the hitter’s approach you’ll know which direction he/she is going to hit… usually. It’s difficult to hit the line if your approach sweeps in from the side, but it can be done. However, for the most part a player approaching the net at an angle will usually hit cross court. If the approach is more perpendicular to the net the hit will most likely go down the line. Always be in ready position, because a hitter may suddenly change the direction of the ball by hitting across their body. This leads to our next point.

Every player has habits, or styles of play that will help you anticipate future moves… if you are paying attention. It will be of great value for you to study the habits of each player throughout a match. So, be a student of the other team’s players, knowing how they serve, hit, pass, etc. We are all creatures of habit, so learn to recognize others’ habits.

I know this is a lot of information, so don’t expect to master this in one day. Your goal in reading the play is to see things before they happen and act accordingly. You need to react to everything on the court, including what your own players are doing. Your coach expects you to be accountable for the space you are defending, so be in position, ready to react, always studying the other team. You’ll be way ahead of the game if you keep this in mind.

Offense – Which Do You Choose?

There are three basic offenses in volleyball; the 4-2, 6-2 and the 5-1.

The 4-2, rarely used in modern volleyball, is considered by most to be the first true offense. What I mean by true is this, if you play pickup volleyball at the park, most likely you’ll see the person in the middle front acting as the setter. This is known as center sets volleyball.

In the 4-2 offense, the team consists of four hitters and two setters, with the setters playing opposite positions from each other. This arrangement guarantees a setter in the front row at all times. While one is setting the two front hitters, the other is in the back row playing a passer until he/she rotates back up front.

Since the object of the game is to win, every coach wants a powerful offense. This means having as many hitters/blockers on the front row as possible. This is why the 6-2 was developed. I may have to take a moment to clarify that running a 6-2 offense doesn’t mean you have eight players on the court. It’s a simple way of explaining the presence of six hitters and two designated setters.

Unlike the 4-2, the setters in the 6-2 offense never fill the positions of a passer in the back row. Instead, the setter, playing in one of the back court positions, comes forward to set the three front row hitters. Two players can cover the back court with little difficulty, but they will get help from one of the front court player. When the opposing setter puts the pall up the right, the blocker on the left side of the court quickly drops into a defensive position, providing three back court defenders. So, after the ball is served, the setter in the back row moves to the front to set and the other setter, now in the front row, moves to the right to be the off-hand (or soft side) hitter. By doing this you end up with four players in the front row, with the setter unable to jump to attack or block a ball. With this kind of offense it is imperative that every player has well defined roles on the court and sticks to them.

The 5-1 is used when you have two many hitters and not enough good setters. There are 5 hitters and 1 setter in this offense and it’s run just like the 6-2 when the setter is in the back row. When your setter is in the front row, you run your offense just like a 4-2 and when he/she is in the back, play it like a 6-2. The obvious advantage to the 5-1 offense is that the hitters always have the same setter which fosters a great deal of trust when they become accustomed to the setting styles of the setter. The disadvantages in this offense is that your setter does a lot of running and needs to be in great shape and during half of your rotations your team is left with only two hitters/blockers in the front row.

I myself teach the 6-2 offense the most because of its versatility and flexibility. With two good outside hitters and a center blocker/hitter that you can give a #1 set to, your setter has loads of weapons at his/her disposal and your offense becomes very formidable.

Off The Court

What you do off the court is often just as important as what you do on it.

When you are on the court, your coach is responsible for what you’re doing and what you learn. However, when you’re off the court and there’s no one around to keep you focused, what do you do? Watch TV, play video games, surf the internet?

If you are serious about your game and want to rise to the top where your coach will notice you, then you must spend some time learning your sport — off the court.

What do I mean by that? When you’re surfing the net, stop by some of the volleyball sites and read about what’s happening in the sporting world. You’ll be amazed at how much information is out there for your benefit as a player. The Athletic Trainer is just one example of what you can find to improve your game and your knowledge of it.

The Perfect Volleyball Serve

You don’t have to be a genius to know the perfect serve in any sport is one that scores a point with no effort expended beyond what was necessary for the serve itself. However, we all know that to do this repeatedly in the real world is not possible and it is, therefore, necessary to take steps that will give you the greatest chances for success beyond the serve.To begin, you must choose the type of serve you wish to use, i.e. top-spin, no-spin (knuckler), jump, etc. We will explore each of the different serves one at a time, starting with a basic two-step, top-spin serve.Since I am right-handed, all explanations will be for right-handed players. I know its probably discriminatory, but giving the limited amount of time time and space I have, please forgive my onesidedness.Hold the ball in your left hand at a comfortable distance from the baseline. Step forward with your right foot first, followed by the left, which will provide the momentum needed to put good top-spin on the ball. Just as you are placing your right foot on the ground, toss the ball slightly in front of you so that when you take your second step the ball will be directly over your head. Your toss should lift the ball approximately twice your height, giving you time for your second step.

Leave your left arm extended upward as though pointing at the ball, the way a tennis player does during their serve. This will help you concentrate on the ball and help keep your shoulders square to the court.

At this point it is critical that you put all other thoughts aside and keep all your concentration, and your eyes, on the ball. If you take your eyes off the ball, even a little, you will mis-hit and not achieve good top-spin. Now, lean slightly back on your second step and swing your right arm up at the same time you are pulling your left arm down, which will add power to your serve.

You want to contact the back of the ball with your arm fully extended and your hand open but rigid, with your fingers slightly separated, giving you good contact on the ball.

Top-spin is achieved by pulling your wrist forward and down as you contact the ball. Good follow-through with your right arm is very important when trying to create the greatest amount of top-spin, which will cause the ball to arc over the net and drop sharply into the court.

One of the greatest benefits of the top-spin serve is that if you aim deep enough the back row players on the opposing team will often think the ball is going beyond the end line and let it go. However, the top-spin will force the ball down into the court, often on or just inside the baseline, giving you that much coveted, “ACE” serve.

The crowd will go wild, your teammates will lavish you with high-fives and most importantly, your coach will be very pleased.

Next, we’ll examine the “knuckler”, or no-spin serve, which will move erratically through the air, making it very difficult to read and return.

Most players who use the knuckler take two steps forward when serving. Again, this adds momentum and starts you on your way into your defensive position. The difference between the knuckler and top-spin serves is the position of the toss and the contact you make with the ball.

Toss the ball in front of you so that after your second step the ball is still 6-8 inches in front of your nose. This will keep you from leaning back or reaching behind you, which results in top-spin. Now, keeping your hand flat and perpendicular to the floor as you slap the back of the ball. You must resist the temptation to pull your fingers downward and to follow through with your swing, which will also result in creating top-spin.

A knuckling ball will fly farther than a top-spin serve, so keep that in mind when choosing what kind of power to put behind your hit. The ball will also have the tendency to drop suddenly as it slows, especially if the air in the gymnasium is warm, so don’t be afraid to hit deep.

Finally, we’ll briefly explore the jump serve, which in reality is simply a top-spin serve on serious steroids.

To accomplish the jump serve you will need to back up at least 10 feet from the baseline. This will give you the needed room to make your approach and execute your serve without being called for a foot fault.

The toss in a jump serve is considerably higher than the other serves, usually 3x your height, and three or four feet in front of you. When tossing the ball, it’s best to provide a little top-spin to begin, which serves a two-fold purpose. First, it will tend to generate more concentration on the ball and more importantly, it will help keep your serve down.

The jump serve is, for lack of a better term, a spike from behind the baseline. It has the same type of approach and execution as an attack at the net without the annoyance of having a couple of 6′10″ blockers in your face.

The jump serve is also the most difficult serve you can attempt, so if you choose to utilize this as one of your weapons, make sure your hours of practice are sufficient to keep your percentage of playable serves regularly above 98%.

As with all sports, the key to a good serve is practice. If you have access to a court and a good number of balls, you’re way ahead of the game. If you have one, set a basket, or even a jacket, in the middle of the opposite court and serve the ball to that spot until you can come within a few feet of the object 75% of the time. Then move the target around the court and repeat the practice.

Many coaches, especially at the high school level, like to direct their server to place the ball in a certain location. He/She may see a weakness in the opp0nent, or a strategy forming they want to interrupt. If you can place your serve where your coach wants it you will be a valuable asset on the court.

Lastly, and certainly the most important rule of serving is this… KEEP THE BALL IN!!! It matters not how beautiful or stylish your serve might be, or how graceful you look flying through the air on your jumper, if the other teams doesn’t have to handle it. An easy serve that stays in 100% of the time is better than a blinding serve that sails out of bounds or dives into the net. Do whatever is necessary to keep your serves playable and you’ll develop into an asset to your team and you’ll spend a lot less time on the pine.

Explore posts in the same categories: Volleyball

One Of Your Greatest Assest: Your Shoulders

Volleyball uses just about every muscle in your body to some extent, but one of the muscles groups that is used extensively and often not as strong as it needs to be is the shoulder. We will explore the different muscles that make up your shoulder and in another article, how you can strengthen, stretch and protect them.Please allow me to offer a simple caveat at this point, which is, I’m a volleyball coach, not a doctor. The following is a simple explanation of the shoulder muscles, offered in hopes of helping volleyball players understand their bodies. That said, I hope I don’t offended any medical personnel.So, the major shoulder muscles are:

Deltoid

Subscapularis

Infraspinatus

Supraspinatus

Teres Major

Teres Minor

Now, if you’re like me, who took Spanish instead of Latin in school, this list may seem confusing. Don’t worry, we’ll go through each of these muscles and I’ll do my best to explain things in everyday English so you can understand them and how they affect your ability to play volleyball.

The Deltoid is a large, thick, triangular muscle, which covers the shoulder-joint in front, behind, and laterally. It is attached to the Trapezius (the muscle that extends from the top of your shoulder to your neck) and the Pectoralis major (your chest muscle). It is the large muscle that is commonly referred to as “the shoulder” and is responsible for raising your arm to the front, side and back and is therefore one of the major muscles used in volleyball. Without realizing it, your deltoid is used in just about everything you do on a volleyball court, e.g. when you serve, spike, set, bump, run, wave at a friend, or even wipe sweat from your brow.

The Subscapularis is also a large triangular muscle which attaches to the Teres major (discussed below) and the long head of the Triceps brachii, ( the muscle on the back of your upper arm). The term “subscapularis” means under (sub) the scapula (the wingbone or shoulder blade). If you hold your arm at your side, palm facing forward, the Subscapularis muscle allows you to rotate your hand until your palm faces backward, which gives you the ability to move your arm into the passing (bumping) position.

The Infraspinatous is a dense fibrous membrane that stabilizes the shoulder by drawing the humorous (upper arm bone) toward the scapula (shoulder blade). It is an abductor and rotates the arm laterally at the shoulder which allows the arm to extend to the side, e.g. if you hold your arm at your side with your elbow bent 90° and your hand on your stomach, the Infraspinatous muscle is used to move your hand off your stomach and away from your body. It also extends your arm backward from a hanging position at your side. This muscle is used every time your arm moves in toward your body or out away from it. I hope the importance of this muscle on the volleyball court is obvious.

The Supraspinatus is a medially thick muscle that attaches the top of your shoulder-joint to your scapula (shoulder blade) and pulls your humorous (upper arm bone) toward your body. The Supraspinatus is critical to the stability of your shoulder and without it your shoulder would pop in and out of joint every time you moved suddenly. Again, the importance is obvious.

The Teres major is a thick but somewhat flattened muscle, which attaches to the back of your shoulder-joint and your scapula (shoulder blade). The Teres major is an adductor, which is a muscle that draws a part toward the median line. To use everyday language, it pulls your arm in toward your side. It also rotates your shoulder medially, which means it is the opposing muscle to the Infraspinatous, discussed above which is an abductor.

The Teres minor is a narrow, elongated muscle, attached to the clavicle and the humerus, between the Infraspinatus the Teres major. It works in conjunction with these two other muscles and adds stability to your shoulder.

If my brief explanations aren’t enough for you, there are a number of sites you can visit if you wish to study more about the shoulder. You can Google any of the shoulder muscles and you’ll get more of an education than you probably want. I definitely recommend spending as much time as possible learning about the muscles that affect your play on the court.

One thing that is very important to remember is that the musculoskeletal system works in a chain reaction fashion. What affects one part, affects another, and another etc. Because the shoulder is so close to your neck, protecting your shoulder joints from injury will assist or enable the neck to remain pain free.

There are numerous books available on the subject of shoulder injury treatment and prevention. One good ebook, “How to treat and prevent shoulder injuries: Stretch, Stabilize, Strengthen,” is very informative and worth checking out. Below are some testimonials about the book and a link.

Don’t take your shoulders for granted. Take the time necessary to educate yourself so you can protect them from injury. They are one of your greatest assets in volleyball.

To learn more;

” I used to be an avid tennis player, but for the past 10 years I have quit playing because of the pain in my shoulder. Since I started doing Pilates-based stretching and stabilizing exercises my shoulder pain is gone and I am playing tennis again at 72 years of age!” – Margaret Nabilek

“Incorporating Pilates-based fundamentals into my strength training workouts has greatly improved my form and technique. It makes me more aware of how I move and breathe, helping me to protect my shoulders by using my muscles in the correct way.” – Dave Lorimer, Age 55

“Through Pilates I have increased my posture and upper body strength through the shoulder stretching and stabilizing exercises. This has decreased the shoulder pain that I have felt for years when doing day to day activities like cooking and cleaning the house.” – Sandy Rudich, Age 63

Explore posts in the same categories: Volleyball

Off Hand – Down The Line

When a setter tosses the ball up for an outside off-hand hitter, the opposing center blocker quickly moves to take away his angle to the center of the court by setting up next to the outside blocker. This will, in most cases, present an obstacle that shouldn’t be attempted. It’s risky to believe you can get around four giant hands and arms, which leaves the outside hitter with few alternatives. However, one of those alternatives, if mastered, will put the ball on the floor and leave the blockers feeling foolish. That’s right, I’m talking about hitting down the line.Before I explain this technique I’ll back up a step to Volleyball 101 and briefly explain what I mean by off-hand. Assuming you are right handed, your off-hand side is in the front row, all the way to the right, also known as position #2 on the court. This means that your dominant hand is off the court, furthest away from your setter. And, of course, position #4, all the way to the left, would be your on-hand side, with your dominant hand on the court, closest to the setter.

If a blocker is worth his salt he/she will always watch the body language of the hitter in an attempt to divine the direction the spike is going to go. The approach to the ball, the position of the hips, and direction of the shoulders will usually give away the hitter’s choice. That’s why it’s vitally important to say “angle” with your body while your mind is all “line.” This will keep the blockers a half-step inside and leave the line open.

Now, telling the blockers you’re going angle with your body will make it very difficult to get a good shot at the line unless you allow the ball to travel further across your body before you make contact. This will also put you slightly off balance because you will have to lower your left shoulder at the last second, which will pull your weight to the left.

One of the wonderful things about our bodies is that we have the ability to recover from the most awkward positions with slight adjustments with our other limbs. For example, if a gymnast is on the balance beam and she gets slightly off center, she will throw an arm or leg the opposite direction to compensate, bringing her back on center.

Letting the ball travel across your body before you make contact will cause your left shoulder to drop, rotating your body to the left. You can compensate for this torque by turning your head and twisting your torso to the right. This will bring your weight back on center and bring you down evenly.

One thing you must keep in mind is how close you are to the net. Since you are waiting a little longer for the ball to cross your body, your follow-through will be almost straight at the net, leaving you vulnerable to a violation if you’re not very careful. This threat can be reduced by good communication with your setter, who can put you a little further off the net when you are on the off-hand side.

The great thing about this technique is that if you like to hit cross-court, the blockers will only be fooled a few times before they, or their coach, picks up on your ability and makes an adjustment. At that point they will move to their right a full step, leaving the center of the court open for you to pound your favorite shot.

Get together with your setter and try it a few times. You’ll be delighted with the results.

Explore posts in the same categories: Volleyball

1st Line Of Defense; The Pass

I’m a firm believer in the idea of mastering the fundamentals of any sport and volleyball is no different. That’s why I put so much emphasis on PASSING. It’s your first line of defense against your opponent’s serve and if you spray the ball, your team will have to compensate. And when both setter and hitter have to adjust their game, your offense suffers.The goal of competitive sports is to reach the finals and if you want to give your team a chance at reaching their goal, then every player on the team must develop a strong passing technique. So, that’s what we’re going to discuss today!To be a great passer you need to start low. Stagger your feet slightly, bend your knees and get you butt down. I recommend having you arms floating in front of you, elbows bent, just above waist level.If you start with your arms in their receive position you may not be ready to set pass the ball if it comes high, at your chest or head. So, keep your arms half-way between the over-hand set pass position and the platform position.

As with most things, there are multiple techniques when it comes to the proper platform position and I won’t confuse you with them all. Instead, I’ll explain the one I’ve found to be the easiest and most effective.

One mistake I’ve seen with inexperienced players is interlocking your fingers. Unless the ball is miss-hit, or “dinked” you need as much mobility as possible, and interlocking your fingers greatly limits your movement and reaction speed.

Instead of interlocking your fingers, lay the fingers of one hand across the fingers of the other… the choice is yours based upon comfort. Now, close your hands until your thumbs are together, side-by-side. When you extend your arms straight out your platform will have a nice flat surface for the ball to rebound off. (see photo)

Resist the temptation to swing your arms up when making contact with the ball. Whether you are digging a hit or passing a serve, the velocity of the incoming ball will provide enough energy to get it to the setter.

Instead of swinging your arms up to meet the ball, your movement needs to be more of a shoulder shrug, while squeezing your triceps to bring your elbows straight. This will press your arms together and give you a flatter platform. Try to move as little as possible, not jerking or swinging your arms at the ball. This will help control the path of your pass, lofting the ball up to your setter. Keep your arms at a 90° angle to your chest. (see photo above)

When executing a pass off a hard driven hit, make sure you get your butt down low and your arms underneath the ball. This is where the term ‘dig’ came from because you are literally ‘digging’ the ball off the ground.

The higher the loft of your pass, the more time your hitters will have to transition from the net to their approaches. But,
too much loft on the ball and the opponent will read your offense and adjust their block. You’ll have to find a happy medium between the two, minimizing the time the defense has while giving your own hitters the time they need.

Every setter is a little different, so keep a good communication going so you will know where he/she likes the pass. If you work with the same setter all the time this will be much easier, but most teams have several setters, sometimes on the court at the same time. Discover their preferences and work hard to provide the best pass possible.

Explore posts in the same categories: Volleyball

Volleyball 1,2,3

In order to become the type of player your coach trusts and relies upon, you will need to show him or her that you have an understanding of the game worthy of attention. You must show your ability to competently play offense and defense and move seamlessly between them.To help you do this, I’ve broken the game down into three equally important parts, which cover everything you do on the volleyball court. An understanding of these components will help you stay ahead of the game and anticipate what your opponent is doing. They are:1. Preparation2. Execution3. Transition

Preparation is exactly what it sounds like; preparing yourself for the up-coming play. If you are on defense, preparation is seeing what the opponent is doing, analyzing their strategy and preparing for what’s coming. If you happen to be on offense, it’s getting yourself into the optimum position to help your team put the ball away.

If you don’t stay ahead of the play it’s impossible to prepare in time to be viable for your team. That’s why a good coach spends a great deal of time teaching preparation. He/she sets up scenarios that help the young player anticipate what the opponent is doing and to make the appropriate adjustments.

Execution is the doing of what you’ve prepared for, whether it be setting, hitting, passing, or any other job on the volleyball court. If you’re the hitter, execution is the actual hit, which if you made proper preparation you will get a good contact on the ball, even if it doesn’t score a point. If you are playing defense, your execution is receiving the ball that’s hit and putting it up to your own setter in a playable manner.

Transition is what you do between your execution and your preparation, which is to get back into the most strategic position to help your team. For example, if you’ve just hit the ball, and the other team dug it up, your transition will be to move back into position to block the ball your opponent is about to bring back to you.

Some coaches don’t teach transition, believing it to be part of preparation, but I find it to be a very helpful component when teaching volleyball to inexperienced player. I try to get the young player to visualize their job on the court in these three steps, preparation, execution and transition. To get themselves prepared, in advance, of what is happening, to competently do their job and then quickly move into the position that best serves the team.

To learn more, Click here

Explore posts in the same categories: Volleyball

Steroids Or Natural?

If you are into body building, or even the average teenage guy, you look at photos of guys like Arnold and drool. You work out hard, but within weeks you get impatient and begin entertaining the possibility of taking anabolic steroids to boost your growth. FYI, steroid is the Greek word for hormone.So, is all the hype real? Do they work, are they as dangerous as people say?We’ve all heard about the congressional hearings on steroid use in Major League Baseball, and no doubt many have taken sides on the issue. Drug abuse in sports has been in the media a lot in the past couple of years with stories like when Floyd Landis lost his Tour de France title after testing positive for testosterone. That one really disappointed me and I didn’t want to believe it, but after watching the stage where he blew away the competition I had to admit my doubts.

Natural or steroid? Hank Aaron is no longer on the top of the all-time home run list since Barry Bonds surpassed him as the home run king. The problem is, everyone thinks he doped, and with good reason.

If you’re old enough to remember Bobby Bonds, Barry’s dad, (the first two photos) it makes it even harder to believe Barry’s denial. The photos show the difference in Bonds from one year to the next, and I’ll leave the doping verdict up to you.

Sammy Sosa is another one, once a skinny little 165 pound player, but a couple of years ago he was up to a ripped 240 pounds. Sprinter, Ben Johnson, back in the 1990’s, tested positive for steroids at the Olympics, and later admitted that everyone uses drugs, but that someone spiked his sample. Of course they did, Ben.

Both Sosa and Bonds were both very thin when they came into the league, but no longer. It is of course natural to get bigger as you mature, but that will begin to decline after age 30. But not these guys, as they passed their third decade, both of them began to grow in size and strength. Sosa went from 165 as a rookie to about 240 the year he was battling a naturally huge Mark McGuire for the single season home run title.

There’s no denying it; steroids enhance recovery, allowing an athlete to train harder and heavier, which builds strength and packs on lean muscle. Despite two decades of evidence to the contrary, prior to the early 1980’s doctors said steroids did nothing, but athletes and bodybuilders disagreed. If you don’t think it works check this out:

The first two photos are real… sorry about #3 there, I just had to throw that in.

Anyone with half a brain knows bodybuilding is about pharmaceutical assistance. Ever since they were discovered, steroids have been a way of life for bodybuilders. If you spend any amount of time in a gym with serious lifter you’ll hear, and see the sale and use of steroids, appetite suppressants and all manner of muscle building or fat shedding drugs. Walk into any really good gym at 2 o’clock in the afternoon on a Monday and look around. If you see a guy with freakishly huge muscles and veins as big as garden hoses in there pumping iron do you really have to guess where his paycheck comes from?

If you talk to any athletic trainer he/she will warn you about the dangers associated with the use of steroids, i.e.

• High blood pressure and heart disease
• Liver damage and cancers
• Stroke and blood clots
• Urinary and bowel problems, such as diarrhea
• Headaches, aching joints, and muscle cramps
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sleep problems
• Increased risk of ligament and tendon injuries
• Severe acne, especially on face and back
• Baldness

For men specifically,

• Reduced sperm count
• Impotence
• Increase in nipple and breast size (gynecomastia)
• Enlarged prostate (gland that mixes fluid with sperm to form semen)

For women,

• Reduced breast size
• Enlarged clitoris (a very sensitive part of the genitals)
• Increase in facial and body hair
• Deepened voice
• Menstrual problems

The emotional effects can be,

• “Roid rage” – severe, aggressive behavior that may result in violence, such as fighting or destroying property
• Severe mood swings
• Hallucinations – seeing or hearing things that are not really there
• Paranoia – extreme feelings of mistrust and fear
• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Depression and thoughts of suicide
• An angry, hostile, or irritable mood

Now if that doesn’t scare you it’s time to join the Army.

For all these reasons, we at The Athletic Trainer strongly recommend natural body building if you are going to pursue a bigger you.

Josh Trentine, is a natural bodybuilding competitor who has been competing successfully for years without the use of performance enhancing pharmaceuticals. Instead, he uses high intensity training and good nutrition. They really work and Josh has proven it. He turned pro in 2007 in both the NGA and IDFA after taking 1st places in both the 2006 Natural USA and 2006 Canadian Classic. He’s the CEO of Overload Personal Training and if you ask me, I’ll take his body over the steroid freaks any day.

If you’re over 40, it is even more difficult to recover from a hard workout, but there are always better, safer and more intelligent ways to keep yourself healthy than the use of dangerous drugs.

If you’re going to be successful in sports it takes practice and hard work, not to mention talent, and skill. Using steroids is and badly interferes with fair competition. More importantly, they are dangerous to your health. There are many healthy ways to increase your strength or improve your appearance. If you are serious about your sport and your health, keep the following tips in mind:

• Train safely and carefully, without the use of drugs.
• Stick to a healthy diet.
• Make sure you get plenty of rest.
• Set realistic goals and pat yourself on the back when you attain them.
• Get some good training supervision, coaching, and seek out a reliable professional.
• Use protective gear to avoid injuries.
• Talk to certified trainer about a safe ways to gain strength, nutrition, your health, and preventing injury.

If you, or someone you know is using steroids, get help. Talk to your friends and teammates about what you’ve read. Take a stand against the use of steroids and other drugs. Real athletes use their natural abilities and hard work to win. There is no quick and easy way to become the best.

For more information, contact the following organizations:

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
888/644-6432
Web site: http://www.nida.nih.gov/

National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI)
800/729-6686
Web site: http://www.health.org

The information contained in this publication should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of a physician. There may be variations in treatment that your physician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.